Thursday, June 20, 2013

Naketha Mattocks Named Vice President of Disney Channel Original Movies

Naketha Mattocks has been named Vice President, Original Movies, Disney
Channels, it was announced today by Adam Bonnett, Executive Vice
President, Original Programming, Disney Channels Worldwide.

Mattocks, whose breadth of experience extends from feature films to
television series development, will be responsible for supervising
creative development for the hugely successful Disney Channel Original
Movie (DCOM) franchise which has produced TV's #1 movie in Tweens 9-14
for the past 11 years (2002-12).

Bonnett said: "Disney Channel Original Movies are unmatched in
delivering fresh and relevant storytelling that deeply connects with our
audience of kids, tweens and families. With Naketha's experience,
passion, sharp instincts and strong relationships, we're well positioned
to build on our successful track record as a creative magnet and TV
movie powerhouse."

In her new role Mattocks will develop movie scripts, generate new
projects, collaborate with writers and directors and oversee the
creative storytelling throughout production.

This summer, Disney Channel will unveil its newest original movie, "Teen
Beach Movie," an exuberant song, sand and surf fest, premiering July 19
on Disney Channel.

Prior to joining Disney Channel, Mattocks was an independent film and
television producer who sold projects to an array of broadcast and cable
television networks, including ABC Family, CBS Films, Hallmark Hall of
Fame/ABC, Lifetime Television and VH1. In 2012 she was a consultant for
Lifetime Television, where she served as an executive on projects that
included "Betty and Coretta," "A Killer Among Us," "Twist of Faith" and
"House of Versace."

From 2006-11 Mattocks was Head of Development for Writer/Director Gary
Ross's Larger Than Life. There she oversaw directing vehicles for Ross
and projects with creative talent including "Boardwalk Empire" creator
Terence Winter, "How to Train Your Dragon" writer/director Dean DeBlois
and actor/playwright Ruben Santiago-Hudson, among others.

Previously Mattocks was an executive for more than three years at
Paramount Pictures, supervising development and production for "Alfie,"
"Charlotte's Web," "Coach Carter," "Get Rich or Die Tryin'" and
"Elizabethtown." She was also Vice President of Development for Barry
Levinson and Paula Weinstein's Baltimore / Spring Creek Pictures.

Mattocks began her career as a reader for the Sundance Writer's Lab and
development associate for Patchett Kaufman Entertainment. She is a
graduate of Emerson College and serves on the Foundation Board of Women
in Film.

Disney Channel is a 24-hour kid-driven, family inclusive television
network that taps into the world of kids and families through original
series and movies. Currently available on basic cable in over 99 million
U.S. homes and to millions of other viewers on Disney Channels around
the world, Disney Channel is part of the Disney/ABC Television Group.